Sheriff’s Office assists in Clay County drug bust

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By Christa Jennings

Senior Staff Writer

The Coosa County Sheriff’s Office was able to assist the Clay County Sheriff’s Office in a drug bust last week that resulted in the arrests of two individuals and the seizure of multiple firearms, narcotics, paraphernalia, and more.

Clay County contacted the Coosa County Sheriff’s Office and asked the Special Response Team to assist in executing a narcotics search warrant at a home in Clay County.

Sheriff Michael Howell, Chief Deputy Scott Hammond and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office appreciate Coosa’s Special Response Team for organizing and making safe entrance, clearing the way for Clay County to make the arrests.

Working together with other law enforcement agencies, last Friday the Clay County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division executed the search warrant at a residence on New Prospect Road in connection with an ongoing narcotics investigation.

The search warrant resulted in the Clay County Sheriff’s Office seizing large quantities of illegal narcotics, more than $11,000 in U.S. currency and multiple firearms, as well as drug paraphernalia.

The two individuals arrested, 44-year-old Justin Jay Whaley and 45-year-old James Elvin Cook, were each charged with trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking fentanyl, first-degree possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and certain persons forbidden to possess a pistol.

For all five charges, each of them have been given a total bond of $500,000. As of press time, both remained in custody at the Clay County Jail awaiting trial, and Randolph County has placed a hold on Whaley.

In addition to the Coosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office was assisted during the operation by the Lineville Police Department, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland Police Department, and Oxford Police Department.

Clay County Sheriff Henry Lambert expressed his appreciation to those agencies for assisting with this operation and investigation, as well as the Clay County Rescue Squad and Clay and Coosa County District Attorney’s offices.